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I don’t usually use this blog for any thing outside popular culture concerns, but I felt moved to share my thoughts on recent events in France,

I’m truly shocked and saddened by the events in Paris, as I’m sure you all are.I can’t begin to imagine how that city feels right now. For my friends close to home, imagine if that was London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh or any other British city. There is, quite understandably, anger and blame directed to certain quarters. But let’s make sure we’re angry at the right people. This isn’t really about religion or esoteric belief, it’s about power.

The religious trappings are a cipher for a much more dangerous message: we will hurt you and we will divide you. Their beliefs can be defined as religious, in a loose sense, but ultimately they believe whatever they believe, like any human being, and they have chosen to pursue a dark path of destruction and hate towards their common man and woman. If religion wasn’t their way into that mind set, it would have been something else harnessed by the evil we share this planet with. The murdering pawns in this terrorist campaign are sad broken human beings who wouldn’t be so “powerful” without a gun in their hands. If the strong feelings about religion divide us, then their aim is partially achieved already. Fear is their ultimate weapon and any divisive arguments among ourselves serve to fuel the fear of each other. It’s ridiculous. We’re better than this. We’re better than them. There also has to be a better way of dealing with this than the usual equally bitter and violent reaction. I also sincerely hope these tragic events are not used to further “problem-action-solution” initiatives where our daily freedoms are further eroded in the name of protection, by a state I wouldn’t put my total faith in any day soon. To be honest, they’re probably part of the problem. The seeds for a lot of this were planted a long time ago, by decisions made a lot closer to home. But I don’t think our governments will be talking about that any day soon.

Don’t live in fear. Be kind to each other. From little actions do bigger shifts in consciousness begin. And Paris, you’ve been rocked by worse than this before, and like your most famous monument, you will stand tall again.